Conventional computer systems operate software applications that assist users in the creative arts. Such software applications are commonly used to perform tasks for computer users such as graphic design, image processing and the like. Traditional software applications provide users with many tools to modify and enhance graphical and image data. Typically, a user performs image processing and design via a graphical user interface (GUI) comprising various windows, icons, buttons, dialogue boxes and the like, for the input, modification and output of data. For instance, a graphics software tool may change graphical and/or image data from one data format to another data format in order to enhance the quality and appearance of an image. As such, the user would have at his disposal the original image file in the first data format and the enhanced image file in the second data format.
Tracing algorithms are examples of features within such conventional software applications that enhance images by defining the edges of lines and shapes in an image and then rendering new lines and shapes to create a new image with smoother edges to provide a more streamlined appearance. Furthermore, a user may select from a myriad of options and parameters associated with the tracing algorithm application to control the outcome of the resultant image. Such tracing parameters may include modifying trace line thickness, applying trace blurring and other various tracing attributes. In some cases, tracing algorithms may convert graphical and/or image data from a raster format into a vector format as part of performing the image processing. Consequently, after applying a tracing algorithm to a raster image, a separate vector image file is created.